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The Coatl
= The Coatl = -- Taken from the December 2017 Rulebook, pages 29 & 30 -- —WITH FIRE AND FURY— (Note: this name is pronounced “KOH-ott”—the “L” at the end is silent.) Early and now-distant cousins of the Gael and the Vicaul, the Coatl were the first humans on Adelrune to tame and ride horses, which allowed them to send their Hordes across the vast plains of the Expanse, exploring and claiming all they could see until they controlled most of the known world. Even though the Coatl are said to be descended from unholy unions with the darkest of gods, in the present day they are a shadow of what they once were, a people in decline. Today, only the northeastern corner of the Expanse can be truly described as “Coatl Lands,” though people of this warlike culture are always eager to raid and conquer the Amalgamation kingdoms that wall them in to the south and west. There are also several areas on Tear that are controlled by the Coatl, which makes perfect sense when one considers that they are natives of that western continent. Though they were originally followers of the Old Ways, the Coatl started to turn away from that primal religion at the beginning of the Age of Zyte, as their dominion began to slip from their grasp and they discovered the enormous power they could draw from worshipping demonkind. With their powerful demonic magic, they could rip through stone walls and tear down fortresses, and so they were able to maintain control over their vast lands for longer—but, by the end of the age of Zyte, Coatl dominion had largely faded and been overthrown, despite their fearsome abilities. The Age of Chorus saw the Coatl’s empire gradually crumble to the Amalgamation and other invading forces, at least partially due to technological improvements in castle-building and fortification. Now, as the often- superstitious Coatl struggle with their diminished place in the world, a deep schism divides them as a people: while many have been gradually coming back to the Old Ways and viewing the fall of their nation as punishment for turning their back on those ancient gods, other factions of Coatl are feverishly trying to rekindle former magics and regain demonic power. Despite their internal strife, the Coatl are indomitably brave and tenacious. Coatl horsemen are still considered the finest riders in the world, for they can not only use bows and cast spells accurately while on horseback but also employ cunning tactics involving staged retreats to keep their enemies off-guard and to lure them into elaborate ambushes. The Coatl, however, often lack discipline and have trouble following a strict command structure outside of the immediate tactical pressures of a pitched battle. Coatl tribes tend to follow whoever is the strongest warlord in their region, and the various warlords can only rule as much as they can physically oversee. As noted in the description of the Amalgamation, Coatl warlords have recently had some significant success against their old foes, the Amalgamation kingdom of De’Fey. Coatl forces broke through the defenses of that kingdom and ravaged the eastern part of the Amalgamation, although the reserves of the rest of that Empire were able to push back the invaders and begin establishing control again. POLITICAL OVERVIEW: THE COATL Government Type: Numerous warlords guided (but not ruled) by a theocratic council of elders Allies: None Enemies: The Amalgamation and the Nadine Empire Welcomed Bloodlines: Human, Half-Demon Persecuted Bloodlines: Half-Celestial Crimes: Murder, Theft, Weakness National Religion: A Demon-Influenced Variant of the Old Ways EXAMPLE CHARACTER NAMES: MALE: Arban, Gansukh, Odval, Saranak, Sukhbataar, Ulagan FEMALE: Batuhan, Chimeg, Chulu’un,Nekhii, Qacha, Qara Names and surnames often draw inspiration from the (out-of-game) Mongolian historical cultures. Many Coatl do not have surnames; some example surnames, though, are: Asudai, Boshugtu, Dzungar, Gundegmaa, Kalmyk, and Sartaq. Widely Feared Coatl *